16 U.S. Code § 429b - Manassas National Battlefield Park

There is established as a unit of the national park system in the Commonwealth of Virginia the Manassas National Battlefield Park, which shall contain within its boundaries the important historical lands relating to the two battles of Manassas. The total area of the park shall not be greater than four thousand five hundred and twenty-five acres. The boundaries of the park shall be the boundaries depicted on the map entitled “Boundary Map, Manassas National Battlefield Park”, dated October 1980, and numbered 379/80,009, which shall be on file and available for public inspection in the offices of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior. The Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register, as soon as practicable after the date of the enactment of this Act, but no later than one year from the effective date of this section, a detailed description and map of the boundaries. Notwithstanding section
460l–9(c) of this title, the Secretary may not make any changes in the boundaries of the park. The Secretary shall administer the park in accordance with laws, rules, and regulations applicable to the national park system.

(b) Addition to park

(1)In addition to subsection (a) of this section, the boundaries of the park shall include the area, comprising approximately 600 acres, which is south of U.S. Route 29, north of Interstate Route 66, east of Route 705, and west of Route 622. Such area shall hereafter in sections
429b to
429b–5 of this title be referred to as the “Addition”.

(2)

(A)Notwithstanding any other provision of law, effective on November 10, 1988, there is hereby vested in the United States all right, title, and interest in and to, and the right to immediate possession of, all the real property within the Addition.

(B)The United States shall pay just compensation to the owners of any property taken pursuant to this paragraph and the full faith and credit of the United States is hereby pledged to the payment of any judgment entered against the United States with respect to the taking of such property. Payment shall be in the amount of the agreed negotiated value of such property or the valuation of such property awarded by judgment and shall be made from the permanent judgment appropriation established pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 1304. Such payment shall include interest on the value of such property which shall be compounded quarterly and computed at the rate applicable for the period involved, as determined by the Secretary of the Treasury on the basis of the current average market yield on outstanding marketable obligations of the United States of comparable maturities from November 10, 1988, to the last day of the month preceding the date on which payment is made.

(C)In the absence of a negotiated settlement, or an action by the owner, within 1 year after November 10, 1988, the Secretary may initiate a proceeding at anytime seeking in a court of competent jurisdiction a determination of just compensation with respect to the taking of such property.

(3)Not later than 6 months after November 10, 1988, the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register a detailed description and map depicting the boundaries of the Addition. The map shall be on file and available for public inspection in the offices of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

(c) Use of addition

The Secretary shall not allow any unauthorized use of the Addition after November 10, 1988, except that the Secretary may permit the orderly termination of all operations on the Addition and the removal of equipment, facilities, and personal property from the Addition.

The date of the enactment of this Act and effective date of this Act, referred to in subsec. (a), probably means the date of the enactment of the Manassas National Battlefield Park Amendments of 1980, Pub. L. 96–442, which was approved Oct. 13, 1980.

1980—Pub. L. 96–442substituted a referenced map for specific boundaries, limited the expanded battlefield park to 4,525 acres, included the park in the National Park System, required the Secretary to publish more detailed map, prohibited the Secretary from making boundary adjustments and required him to administer the Park in accordance with the laws and regulations applicable to the National Park System.

Short Title of 1988 Amendment

Pub. L. 100–647, title X, § 10001,Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3810, provided that: “This title [amending this section and section
429b–1 of this title and enacting provisions set out as a note below] may be cited as the ‘Manassas National Battlefield Park Amendments of 1988’.”

Short Title

Pub. L. 96–442, § 1,Oct. 13, 1980, 94 Stat. 1885, provided: “That this Act [enacting sections
429b–1 to
429b–5 of this title, amending this section, and enacting provisions set out as a note under section
460cc of this title] may be cited as the ‘Manassas National Battlefield Park Amendments of 1980’.”

“(a) Study.—The Secretary of the Interior (hereafter in this section referred to as the ‘Secretary’), in consultation and consensus with the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Federal Highway Administration, and Prince William County, shall conduct a study regarding the relocation of highways (known as routes 29 and 234) in, and in the vicinity of, the Manassas National Battlefield Park (hereinafter in this section referred to as the ‘park’). The study shall include an assessment of the available alternatives, together with cost estimates and recommendations regarding preferred options. The study shall specifically consider and develop plans for the closing of those public highways (known as routes 29 and 234) that transect the park and shall include analysis of the timing and method of such closures and of means to provide alternative routes for traffic now transecting the park. The Secretary shall provide for extensive public involvement in the preparation of the study.

“(b) Determination.—Within 1 year after the enactment of this Act [Nov. 10, 1988], the Secretary shall complete the study under subsection (a). The study shall determine when and how the highways (known as routes 29 and 234) should be closed.

“(c) Assistance.—The Secretary shall provide funds to the appropriate construction agency for the construction and improvement of the highways to be used for the rerouting of traffic now utilizing highways (known as routes 29 and 234) to be closed pursuant to subsection (b) if the construction and improvement of such alternatives are deemed by the Secretary to be in the interest of protecting the integrity of the park. Not more than 75 percent of the costs of such construction and improvement shall be provided by the Secretary and at least 25 percent shall be provided by State or local governments from any source other than Federal funds. Such construction and improvement shall be approved by the Secretary of Transportation.

“(d) Authorization.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary not to exceed $30,000,000 to prepare the study required by subsection (a) and to provide the funding described in subsection (c).”

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